What? Red Lobster Doesn't Buy Local Ingredients?
Sysco and the chef. Isn't it romantic?
Several years ago during a family vacation, we were sitting at the bar of our hotel eavesdropping on the conversations of the suited men that surrounded us. Turns out they were in town for a conference. Not a conference on food but on food products. The men discussed packing, distribution and sales techniques as they ate the turtle soup that was the hotel's specialty. There was no mention of taste, texture or the source of the food "products" they were hocking. Why would there be? This was hardly a conference for local organic farmers who hand wash their cheese rinds or pick leaves of baby lettuce each day. Fascinated by the massiveness of the food distribution network, we hoped to gain a little insight into how the business works.
So we tried to crash the conference as a spy. But without a badge, proper attire or that upbeat sales attitude, we couldn't convince the guard that were supposed to be in attendance.
Now, Slate has confirmed what we suspected in an article about "How Sysco Came to Monopolize Most of What You Eat." It's not just the major restaurant chains who are getting pre-prepared food for the kitchens.
It comes as little surprise that institutions like hospitals, universities, and military bases flock to Sysco's pre-cooked foods. But well-regarded bistros and pubs have also begun to offer such items to save time and money. Recently, New York magazine reported that Thomas Keller uses frozen Sysco fries at his Bouchon bistros. (While a company spokeswoman wouldn't confirm the brand, she confirmed the use of frozen fries.) Mickey Mantle's Restaurant, an upscale sports bar, serves Sysco's pre-made soups, like Manhattan clam chowder and vegetarian black bean. And then there's Edgar's restaurant at Belhurst Castle, which has won numerous awards of excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. There, the kitchen takes Sysco's Imperial Towering Chocolate Cake out of the box, lets it defrost, and then sprinkles it with fresh raspberries before serving it to diners. "We've had a lot of success with that cake," executive chef Casey Belile says. The Edgar's menu, of course, does not list the dessert as a Sysco pre-made cake, but it does charge $8.95 for the experience.
